O Saw ye not fair Ines? she ’s gone into the west, To dazzle when the sun is down, and rob the world of rest; She took our daylight with her, the smiles that we love best, With morning blushes on her cheek, and pearls upon her breast. O turn again, fair Ines, before the fall of night, For fear the moon should shine alone, and stars unrivalled bright; And blessèd will the lover be that walks beneath their light, And breathes the love against thy cheek I dare not even write! Would I had been, fair Ines, that gallant cavalier Who rode so gayly by thy side and whispered thee so near!— Were there no bonny dames at home, or no true lovers here, That he should cross the seas to win the dearest of the dear? I saw thee, lovely Ines, descend along the shore, With bands of noble gentlemen, and banners waved before; And gentle youth and maidens gay, and snowy plumes they wore;— It would have been a beauteous dream—if it had been no more! Alas! alas! fair Ines! she went away with song, With music waiting on her steps, and shoutings of the throng; But some were sad, and felt no mirth, but only Music’s wrong, In sounds that sang Farewell, Farewell to her you ’ve loved so long. Farewell, farewell, fair Ines! that vessel never bore So fair a lady on its deck, nor danced so light before— Alas for pleasure on the sea, and sorrow on the shore! The smile that blest one lover’s heart has broken many more!
Fair Ines
More from Poet
-
Blank Verse in Rhyme EVEN is come; and from the dark Park, hark, The signal of the setting sun—one gun! And six is sounding from the chime, prime time To go and see the Drury-Lane Dane slain,— Or hear Othello’s jealous doubt spout out,— Or Macbeth raving at that shade-made blade, Denying to his...
-
How hard, when those who do not wish To lend, thus lose, their books, Are snared by anglers—folks that fish With literary hooks— Who call and take some favorite tome, But never read it through; They thus complete their set at home By making one at you. I, of my “Spenser” quite bereft,...
-
Young Ben he was a nice young man, A carpenter by trade; And he fell in love with Sally Brown, That was a lady’s maid. But as they fetched a walk one day, They met a press-gang crew; And Sally she did faint away, Whilst Ben he was brought to. The boatswain swore with wicked words...
-
A Pathetic Ballad BEN BATTLE was a soldier bold, And used to war’s alarms; But a cannon-ball took off his legs, So he laid down his arms. Now as they bore him off the field, Said he, “Let others shoot; For here I leave my second leg, And the Forty-second Foot.” The army-surgeons made him...
-
Let Taylor preach, upon a morning breezy, How well to rise while nights and larks are flying— For my part, getting up seems not so easy By half as lying. What if the lark does carol in the sky, Soaring beyond the sight to find him out,— Wherefore am I to rise at such a fly...